Turning equipment for heavy machines



Jan. 20, 1931.

B. H. FLYNN TURNING EQUIPMENT FOR HEAVY MACHINES Filed Feb. 5, 1930 Mo ingo flI HU ll 1 Ill ii---1-: liitllii: :1

Patented Jan. 20, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BENJAMIN HARRISON FLYNN, F AMARILLO, TEXAS TURNING EQUIPMENT FOR HEAVY MACHINES Application filed February 5, 1930. Serial No. 426,075.

. chine to an out-of-the-way position at one side of its course, allowing vehicles, other equipment, etc. to pass. Heretofore, such operations have requlred the services of a great number of men and have been long and arduous, often necessitating that the machine be jacked up and its transportation wheels or treads applied before it can be swung. It is an object of my invention however, to provide new and advantageous means allowing the machine to be quickly and easily swung from its course whenever desired and returned to such course with equal speed and ease.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawing. Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing a power driven road grader in its normal position upon a supporting track and swung to one side in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section partlyin elevation illustrating the combined jac and vertical pivot with which the machine is provided. I I n Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing one manner of connectlng the curved switch rail with one rail of the machine supporting track.

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the manner in which the switch rail crosses the other track rail.

In the drawing above briefly described, the

4o numerals 5 and 6 denote two rails upon which a heavy machine 7 is supported, and'in the present showing, the rails may be considered .as side forms used in highway construction, and the machine 7 considered as a poweroperated grader. While the general construction of the machine 7 does not enter into the present application, it may be explained that the numerals 8 denote frontand rear axles having flanged wheels 9 resting upon i the rails 5 and 6, said axles being driven by a motor 10 and appropriate driving connections, to. drive all four of the Wheels 9. The machine 7, it will be observed, is of greater dimension transversel of the track 5 6 than longitudinally thereo Hence, if it be swung to a longitudinal position over one of the track rails as seen in dotted lines in Fig. 1, it

will allow trucks, other equipment, etc. to pass. My invention provides a novel and advantageous way for allowing such swinging of the machine.

Provision is made for elevating one end of the machine 7 from one of the track rails,

leaving said end free to turn or swing about a vertical axis, said means preferably consisting of a combined jack and pivot which is denoted in a general way .by the number 11. A curved switch rail 12 is provided to engage the other track rail and occupy a position concentric with the pivotal axis about which the machine may swing. Hence, by operating the combined jack and pivot 11, or any equivalent means which may be provided, to raise one end of the machine and then drivlng the wheels 9 at the other end thereof, these wheels are caused to travel along the switch rail 12, causing the machine to swing about a vertical axis to an out-of-the-way position. Due to the relation between the axis about which the machine swings, and the wheels 9 at the opposite end of the machine, it may be necessary that a portion of the rail 5 or perhaps both rails 5+6, shall spring outwardly to some extent before the rearmost wheel 9 can reach a position at which it may travel onto" the switch rail 12. However, such springing will not be necessary if there be suflicient play between the wheel flanges and the track rails. While in actual construction, a hydraulic jack is preferably used, in providin for lifting one end of the machine and esta lishing a pivot therefor, I have shown a conventional jack screw 13 threaded through a bearing 14 on a side bar of the machine 7, the lower end of said screw being provided with a swiveled foot 15. This foot may rest upon the track rail 6 but preferably a bearing plate 16*is laid upon this track rail, upon a portion of the ground at the outer side of said rail, and is anchored by an appropriate stake 17. v

The curved switch rail 12 is formed of separably connected sections as illustrated in Fig. 1 and all of these sections except the one finally supporting the turned machine, may be removed after the machine-turning operation, leaving the greater portion of the grade between the rails 5 and 6 unobstructed for passage of vehicles, other equipment, etc. At the end of the switch rail 12 to engag ethe track rail 5, the former is of course thinned horizontally in much the same manner as a conventional switchtongue, and said end is provided with any desiredhook 18 to engage the rail 5and .eflect-ively connect the switch rail therewith. At its other end, the switch rail 12 preferably crosses the track rail 6 and is formed with a notch 19 receiving said rail 6. The switch rail may extend outwardly any desired distance from the track rail 6 but in some instances it may in fact terminate at or near the inner side of said rail 6. instead of extending beyond the latter. When rail 12 crosses rail 6 as herein illustrated. the surface of rail 12 will-be sufficiently above the surface of rail 6 to prevent the wheel flanges from strikingupon the latter. Unless the rail 12 be gradually increased in height toward its outer end, to provide for effective bearing upon the grade between the rails 5 and 6, suitable blocks 20' may be inserted under said rail 12 to properly support the same.

The combined jack and pivot 11 is a permanent part of the machine 7 and hence is always in readiness for use, and the curved switch rail 12 and any equipment wh ch may be necessary in properly assembling and positioning it, may be carried directly on the machine. Thus, at any time, the switch rail 12 may be positioned, one end of the, machine jacked up. on the combined jack and pivot 11, and the other end of said machine propelled along the switch rail, thereby swinging it to a position longitudinally of the grade instead of transversely thereof. Then, removal of portions of the switch rail 12 which are not supporting the machine, permits unobstructed passage of vehicles, machines, equipment,.

etc., along the grade.

Within. the scope of the invention .as

claimed, numerous variations may be made with regard to materials, details of construction, etc., and it is therefore to be understoodthat the present disclosure is for illustrative purposes only. i Q

Attention may further be invited to the novel method of swinging the machine and it will be seen that this method may be carried out with any-adequate equipment.

I claim 1. In a. means for swinging a mobile machine from a selected course, means for ele- V vating one side ofthe-machine from the supporting surface and leavin said side free to turn about a vertical axis, w ereby propelling the other side of the machine will cause it to swing from its course.

"2. In a means for swinging a mobile machine from a selected course, a combined jack machine along said curved switch rail will cause swinging of the entire machine about a vertical axis. i

4. A structure as specified in claim 3; said curved rail being of a length to extend across the first mentioned track rail and having a notch to receive the latter.

5. In a means for swinging a track-supported mobile machine from a railof its track, a combined jack and vertical pivot for elevating the machine from one rail of the track, anda curved switch rail engageable with the other rail of thetrack, whereby one side of the machine may be propelled along said curved swi'tch rail and t e-entire machine will swing about said combined jack and pivot.

6. In a method of swinging a heavy mobile machine from its course, the steps of elevating one side of the machine and supporting it, for swinging about a vertical axis, and propelling the other side of the machine to cause the latter to swingabout said axis.

7. In a method of swinging a heavy mobile track-supporting machine from its track, the steps of elevating. one side of the machine from one track rail and supporting it for swinging about a vertical axis, laying a curved switch rail from the other track rail to said one rail, and propelling the machine along said switch rail, causing said machine to swing about said vertical axis.

1 In testimony whereof 'I have hereunto v aflixed my sigfiature- BENJA IN HARRISON FYLNN. 

